The San Francisco Giants were pummeled 7-0 by the San Diego Padres, but the bigger story was second baseman Luis Arraez’s exit from the ball game. It turns out it was just cramping, as reported by MLB.com’s Justice delos Santos.
At this time of the season, any player randomly taken out of the game is going to draw natural speculation. Arraez is particularly of interest, as he has many potential suitors ahead of the trade deadline. The Giants’ position as obvious sellers also contributes to that.
However, Arraez’s exit has nothing to do with a potential trade. Instead, it’s due to an injury and one that shouldn’t affect his trade value at all.
It makes a lot of sense to see why teams would be interested in Arraez. With the Giants, he is hitting .328 with four home runs and an .811 OPS. That OPS is his highest mark since 2023.
Luis Arraez Remains Giants’ Best Trade Chip in Likely Sell-Off
The Giants will likely move Luis Arraez ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. Arraez will be a free agent after signing a $12 million deal with San Francisco for the 2026 season. That decision has paid off, as he’ll likely get a stronger deal in his second go-around in the open market.
That doesn’t necessarily mean much, as the 29-year-old second baseman should draw plenty of interest at the deadline. Francys Romero reports that the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees are showing the most interest in the four-time All-Star.
Any team acquiring Arraez will likely pick up the $4 million remaining on his deal. For a three-time batting champion who’s made significant defensive improvements, that’s a bargain. He currently rates at -1 Defensive Runs Saved but +11 Outs Above Average on the year.
With the amount of value that Arraez brings a club, the Giants should get a decent return. He’s third among National League second basemen in fWAR (3.8), trailing just the Brewers’ Brice Turang and the Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt.
Giants Potential Trade Deadline Plans
Luis Arraez won’t be the only Giant for sale. Robbie Ray is another impending free agent whom the club would like to get as much salary relief.
Ray has a 3.08 ERA in 22 appearances (21 starts), but also leads all MLB pitchers with 57 walks on the season. His 4.37 FIP and 4.75 xFIP could give some teams pause. The 34-year-old left-hander has benefited from a 79.0% strand rate and a .259 BABIP.
The Giants had also wanted to shop some of their larger contracts. However, the club has found difficulty in moving Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, and Willy Adames. All three players are owed more than $100 million from the 2027 season onward.
San Francisco doesn’t have much else to sell beyond those five players. Outfielder Heliot Ramos is a possibility if the Giants wanted to rebuild, but that doesn’t seem likely given their contracts.
Most likely, the club will move Arraez and Ray at the deadline. Then they’ll reassess where they are after a pretty difficult 2026 season. Through July, they have a 47-63 record, and the seat is getting hotter for president of baseball operations Buster Posey.
Giants Provide Update on Luis Arraez After Early Exit from Padres Loss